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AR HB1877: AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL OFFENSES RELATED TO POSSESSION OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL THAT DEPICTS A CHILD; TO INCLUDE A COMPUTER …

Enacted Arkansas · 2025–2026 session

Last verified Oct 12, 2026 · official bill text

HB1877 · where it stands

4 of 5 steps complete
  1. Introduced Complete
  2. Passed first chamber Complete
  3. Passed both chambers Complete
  4. Enacted Complete
  5. Effective Date not recorded
What do these statuses mean?
Introduced
Filed in the legislature; may be waiting for a committee hearing.
Passed a chamber
Approved by one or both chambers; awaiting further action.
Enacted
Signed into law, or became law without a signature or over a veto.
Effective date
The date the law says it takes effect. Once it has passed, the page shows "Effective" and the date. A court order can still block a law; if we know of one, the summary says so.
Dead / vetoed
Vetoed, failed, or the session ended without action.
View full title

AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL OFFENSES RELATED TO POSSESSION OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL THAT DEPICTS A CHILD; TO INCLUDE A COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGE THAT IS INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE IMAGE OF A CHILD; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

In one paragraph

Arkansas Act 977 of 2025 brings AI-generated child sexual abuse material under the state's child exploitation laws. "Computer generated" means produced, adapted or modified in whole or part using artificial intelligence; "indistinguishable" means an ordinary person would conclude it shows an actual child (drawings, cartoons and paintings excluded). The pandering, possession, distribution and viewing offenses, and electronic facilitation of child sexual abuse (Class B felony), now cover such images. Law enforcement, interactive computer services and good-faith AI adversarial testing are exempt.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

AI developers and platforms get an exemption for third-party content and good-faith adversarial (red-team) testing, but producing or sharing AI-generated sexual images of children is a felony in Arkansas.

Key provisions

  1. Ark. Code 5-27-302 and 5-27-601: defines computer generated (produced, adapted or modified in whole or part using artificial intelligence), indistinguishable, and adversarial testing (NIST-based testing with an AI developer)
  2. 5-27-304: pandering or possessing sexually explicit material involving a child covers material indistinguishable from a child, including computer-generated material
  3. 5-27-602: distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child covers computer-generated and indistinguishable images
  4. 5-27-603 retitled electronic facilitation of child sexual abuse, covering computer-generated images used to facilitate or solicit such conduct (Class B felony)
  5. 5-27-609: sexually explicit digital material includes computer-generated images indistinguishable from a minor
  6. Exemptions for law enforcement investigations, interactive computer services (47 U.S.C. 230) for third-party content, and good-faith AI adversarial testing

Latest legislative action

Apr 22, 2025. Notification that HB1877 is now Act 977 (approved by the Governor April 22, 2025)

Topics and industries

Affected industries

TechnologyMedia

This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error

Related AI laws in Arkansas

All Arkansas bills →
HB1518 To Create The Offense Of Creating, Distributing, Possessing, Or Viewing Artifici HB1767 To allow the operation of a personal delivery device in pedestrian areas and cer HB1562 To amend the law concerning autonomous vehicles HB1822 Concerning the operation of autonomous vehicles at railroad crossings HB1561 To authorize the operation of autonomous vehicles or fully autonomous vehicles o SB612 TO CREATE A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT CAUSES

Same topic in other states

New Hampshire SB300 Criminalizing the creation of child intimate visual representations Montana HB82 Generally revise laws related to crimes against children Idaho H0465 CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN – Amends and adds to existing law to provide for the cri Oklahoma HB3642 Crimes and punishments; Oklahoma Law on Obscenity and Child Pornography; scope o Nebraska LB383 Adopt the Parental Rights in Social Media Act, rename the Child Pornography Prev Florida H0757 Sexual Images